Shower shield for bathtubs



C. B. RICKEN sHowER SHIELD Fon BATHTUBS April 16, 1940.

Filed May 29, 1939 2 Sheets-'Sheet l April 16, 1940.

` c. B. RlcKEN SHOWER SHIELDl FOR BATHTUBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Malyv 29, 19'39 l N VE N TOR kades Eik/fem AT'oRNEY Patented 15., 1940 warren STATES one-half to N. Y.

Garry M. Ketcham, Jr., Brooklyn' Application May 29,1939, seaiNo. 276,342

7 Claims.

This invention relates to bathtub windows or shields, and my improvements are directed tothe provision of transparent panels that are mounted to be shiftable upon a bathtub rim to thus effect a shower closure, while also enabling a bather to get in and out of the tub.

The lower runway, which is secured on the tub rim, has upward guideways for the panels, and the upper runway, which is secured at its 'ends to the opposite walls that confine the bathtub, is equipped with downward guideways for a like purpose. Both runways are provided with means to prevent dislodgement of the panels.

Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation showing my improved shifting shields for bathtubs as fitted upon a bathtub.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, sectional, partial view, showing the means for securing the upper runway to the wall.

Fig. 3 is a side sectional View of the shield, one panel only appearing in this view.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view showing the lower portion of a panel as mounted on a tub.

Fig. .6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

of an upper runway.

In said views let I indicate the rim of a bathtub, which is intended to be fitted in a bath room with its head and foot respectively adjacent' opposite walls.

Upon this rim I is mounted a lower guideway, which is in the form of a channel A having the web 2, anges 3, 4 and central wall 5. Also the flanges 3, d each have an inturned lip 6 which is provided for a purpose to be referred to hereinafter. The base of the channel A is provided with pendent feet 'l that enable it to have firm contact with the contoured rim I, and cement 8 may be applied between said base and rim, the anchorage being made secure as by the use of screws 9 that connect the channel to the rim."

The upper guideway, which is in the form of an inverted channel B, has the web I0, with flanges 50 Il, I2 and a central -depending Wall I3. The channel B has at its sides upstanding legs I4 that bound an intermediate space in which is tted a plate I5 forming one arm of an angle bracket C, whose other arm or plate I6 is adapted to be secured to a wall as by screws Il. The

Fig. 'i is a perspective View showing a portion anglev bracket is' shown as secured to channel B by screws I8. I

ylAfrin'r` cri-fics The flanges I I, I2 of channel B, like the flanges I of channel A, have inturnedlips, here indicatedv at' I9.

v f5 It `will be observed that the walls 5 and I3 divide the channels into twoparts each intended to' receive a panel that is shiftable therein, so that said panels may be shifted independently for the purpose of opening and closing the screen thevtub. y

The panels being alike, the description of the onevillustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 will suce. Thus, the panel is composed of a frame 2'0, U- shape in cross-section, that embraces the edges of a paneof glass or other transparent material 2|, over a cushion 22 of rubber kor the like. The frame 23, at its upper portion, is enteredy within the channel B, and a stud 23 that projects from said frame, is located above a lip AIll of said channel, thereby preventing displacement of the panel.

The reason for providing retaining means, such as the stud 23 and lip I9, to prevent displacement of the panel, is because the span of the channel between the walls to which it is atfor . tached is of such extent that the liexure permitted the channel between the Walls is suflicient tov enable release of the panel therefrom, and the stud and lip means have been devised to prevent dislodgement of the panel from the channel.

Obviously, with the upwardflexure of channel B 'the panel might be liftedwout of channel A were it not'for the restraining inliuence of lip 6 and stud 25.

Vertical channels 26 are secured to the opposite'walls to receive the panels when vthey have been spread apart to shut in the bathtub.

It will be noted that bleeds 2l are provided through the channel walls 4, 5 to permit draini age of water, into the tub, that splashes into said channel.

Each panel is equipped with a bar 28 that may serve to support wash rags or towels, and the panel frames are provided with linger grips 29 by which they may be shifted.

The upper channel B is recessed at its ends, the recess being indicated at 36 (see Fig. 7) and serving to accommodate the armv or plate I6 of theangle bracket used in securing the channel to the Walls. 4 v

At 3l appears a cut-out for the insertion of the screws 25, also serving as a quick bleeder in case holes 2ly are too small to take care of a greater ow of water. y

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are comprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

I claim:

1. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising parallel panels, a lower runway for said panels in theform of a channel, the flanges of said channel having inturned lips, studs upon said panels that co-act with said lips to prevent dislodgement of the panels, and cut-away portions of a channel iiange to permit insertion of a stud in a panel, also to serve as a quick bleeder for splash water entering the channel.

2. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising a panel, lower and upper runways for said panel, said upper runway having the form of an inverted channel, whereof the upper surface of its I web is recessed, and an angle member, one arm whereof is seated in said recess and secured to said web, the other arm of said angle member being secured to a xed wall.

3. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising a panel, lower and upper runways for said panel, said upper runway having the form of an inverted channel, and ank angle member one arm whereof is secured to the channel web and its other arm is secured to a iixed Wall, the end of said channel beingrecessed to receive the thickness of said wall engaging arm, thus permitting the channel end to abut against the wall.

4. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising parallel panels, a channel secured to the bathtub rim and forming runways for the panels,

side anges for said channel and an intermediate wall to divide said channel into runways for the respective panels, and said side flanges having inturned lips, and the panels being provided with lateral projections, within the channels, for co-action with said lips to prevent dislodgement of the panels from the channels.

5. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising a panel, and a channel formed of a rigid material mounted on the bathtub rim and forming a runway for said panel and said channel provided with pendant feet for engagement with the bathtub rim to support the body of the panel in position spaced from the bathtub rim.

6. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising a panel and upper and lower channels formed of a rigid material and providing runways for said panel, each of said channels having pendant feet extending from one side of the body of the channel to define an area for the reception of means for securing the channels to a supporting structure.

f 7. A shower shield for bathtubs comprising parallel panels, a channel xed upon the bathtub rim, said channel having side flanges and an intermediate wall to divide said channels into runways for the respective panels, and the intermediate wall and the inner flange having bleeds for the escape of water that splashes into said channel.

CHARLES B. RICKEN. 

